University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


The  location  of  Site 
of  Breen  Cabin 

Qeneral  G  R  McQlashan,  Donner 

Party  Historian,  Declares  Present 

Pioneer  Monument  Covers  Exact 

Spot  Where  Hut  Stood 


Array  of  Interesting  Facts  Presented 
Relating  to  Early  Investigation  of 
Sites  of  Various  Cabins  Occupied 
by  Members  of  Ill-fated  Pioneer  Party 


Oakland,  California 
1920 


IN  EXPLANATION 

At  the  session  of  the  Grand  Parlor  held  in  Truckee  in  1918,  during 
which  session  the  Pioneer  or  Donner  monument  was  dedicated,  the 
Historic  Landmarks  Committee  of  the  Native  Sons  of  the  Golden  West 
was  instructed  by  resolution  to  mark  the  sites  of  the  various  cabins 
occupied  by  members  of  the  Donner  Party,  the  committee  to  confer  with 
General  C.  F.  McGlashan,  Donner  Party  historian. 

Acting  upon  the  mandate  of  the  Grand  Parlor,  conferences  were 
held  with  General  McGlashan,  the  sites  of  all  the  cabins  located,  and  an 
order  placed  for  the  tablets. 

The  sites  of  both  the  Murphy  and  Graves  cabins  were  suitably 
marked.  The  Murphy  tablet  was  placed  on  the  face  of  the  rock  which 
formed  the  north  end  of  the  fireplace  of  the  cabin,  and  contains  a  complete 
list  of  the  members  of  the  Donner  party. 

According  to  General  McGlashan,  the  best  living  authority,  the 
Pioneer  Monument  stands  on  the  exact  site  of  the  Breen  cabin.  The 
committee  thought  it  most  appropriate  that  a  tablet  be  placed  on  the 
north  side  of  the  monument  facing  the  main  road.  Mr.  L.  De  Rome, 
who  cast  the  monument,  designed  a  tablet  which  harmonizes.  The 
following  inscription  on  the  Breen  cabin  tablet  briefly  recounts  the  history 
of  the  Donner  Party,  which  the  monument  was  originally  planned  to 
commemorate,  but  in  no  sense  conflicts  with  the  later  proposal  of  making 
it  a  memorial  to  all  pioneers: 

DONNER  PARTY 

"On  this  spot  stood  the  Breen  cabin  of  the 
party  of  emigrants  who  started  for  California 
from  Springfield,  Illinois,  in  April,  181fi,  under 
the  leadership  of  Captain  George  Donner. 
Delays  occurred,  and  when  the  party  reached  this 
locality  on  October  29,  the  Truckee  Pass  Emi- 
grant Road  was  concealed  by  snow.  The  height 
of  the  shaft  of  the  monument  indicates  the  depth 
of  the  snow,  which  was  twenty-two  feet.  After 
futile  efforts  to  cross  the  summit,  the  party  was 
compelled  to  encamp  for  the  winter.  The  Graves 
cabin  was  situated  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
to  the  eastward,  the  Murphy  cabin  about  two 
hundred  yards  southeast  of  the  monument,  and 
the  Donner  tents  were  at  the  head  of  Alder  Creek. 
Ninety  people  were  in  the  party,  and  forty-two 
perished,  most  of  them  from  starvation  and 
exposure." 


Objection  was  made  to  placing  the  tablet  on  the  Pioneer  Monument 
by  the  chairman  of  the  Donner  Monument  Committee,  who  contended 
that  it  did  not  stand  upon  the  site  of  the  Breen  cabin  and  quoted  General 
McGlashan  as  his  authority.  At  the  session  of  the  Grand  Parlor  held 
at  San  Diego,  the  matter  came  up  for  discussion,  and  a  resolution  was 
passed  referring  the  matter  of  placing  the  tablet  to  the  Donner  Monu- 
ment Committee  and  the  Historic  Landmarks  Committee  to  act  jointly, 
with  full  power  delegated  to  the  Board  of  Grand  Officers  to  determine 
the  matter  if  the  committees  failed  to  come  to  an  agreement.  In  order 
to  clear  up  the  question  of  the  location  of  the  Breen  cabin,  General 
McGlashan  was  asked  to  present  his  views,  which  he  has  done  in  the 
letter  addressed  to  the  Chairman  of  the  Historic  Landmarks  Committee, 
and  printed  hereafter,  in  which  letter  he  most  emphatically  declares  that 
the  monument  stands  upon  the  exact  spot  occupied  by  the  Breen  cabin. 

J.  R.  KNOWLAND, 
Chairman   Historic   Landmarks    Committee. 


TRUCKEE,  CAL.,  June  2nd,  1920. 
Hon.  J.  R.  Knowland, 
Oakland  Cal. 

In  re  Site  of  Breen  Cabin. 
Dear  Sir: 

You  ask  if  I  can  furnish  any  information  to  substantiate  the  fact 
that  the  Monument  dedicated  by  the  Grand  Parlor  of  the  Native  Sons, 
June  6,  1918,  was  placed  on  the  location  of  the  Breen  Cabin. 

I  have  resided  in  Truckee  almost  uninterruptedly  since  July  12,  1872. 
While  collecting  data  for  the  History  of  the  Donner  Party  in  1879,  I 
brought  survivors  of  the  party  and  of  the  Relief  Parties  to  Truckee  to 
establish  the  exact  location  of  the  cabins  occupied  by  the  Breen,  Graves 
and  Murphy  families,  and  the  approximate  location  of  the  Donner 
tents. 

Last  Friday,  May  28th,  1920,  Dr.  C.  W.  Chapman,  Chairman  of  the 
Donner  Monument  Committee,  told  me,  in  the  presence  of  Hon.  Joe  V. 
Snyder,  that  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin  was  thirty  (30)  feet  from 
the  base  of  the  Monument.  That  is  the  first  time  that  he  or  anyone  else 
ever  declared  in  my  presense  that  the  Monument  does  not  stand  over 
the  identical  spot  where  the  Breen  Cabin  stood.  My  reply  to  him  was: 
"If  any  man  on  earth  knows  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin,  I  do,  and  I  am 
ready  to  take  an  oath  that  it  is  covered  by  the  foundation  of  the 
Monument." 

When  I  first  learned  the  location,  the  print  of  the  foundation  logs 
was  distinctly  visible,  the  fireplace  remained  intact,  and  about  four  feet 
from  the  northwest  corner  of  the  site  of  the  cabin  stood  a  jagged  stump 
about  eight  feet  high. 

I  personally  began  excavations  of  the  site,  taking  care  to  examine 
every  shovelful  of  earth  myself.  The  relics  exhumed  by  myself,  or  in 
my  immediate  presence  by  workmen  whom  I  employed,  most  positively 
established  the  correctness  of  the  identifications  of  the  Breen  Cabin. 

The  character  of  the  identifications  supplied  by  the  relics  discovered 
is  illustrated  by  the  following  quotation  from  the  History  of  the  Donner 
Party,  page  258 : 

"Among  the  relics  found  at  the  Breen  Cabin  are  numerous  pieces 
of  old  porcelain  and  china-ware.  These  fragments  are  readily  distin- 
guished by  painted  flowers,  or  unique  designs  enameled  in  red,  blue 
or  purple  colors  upon  the  pure  white  ground  surface  of  the  china-ware. 
This  ware  is  celebrated  for  the  durability  of  the  glaze  or  enamel,  which 
cannot  be  scratched  with  a  knife,  and  is  not  acted  upon  by  vegetable 

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acids.  The  relics  unearthed  were  found  at  a  depth  of  from  one  to  six 
inches  beneath  the  ground  which  formed  the  floor.  A  fragment  of  this 
ware,  together  with  an  old-fashioned  gunflint,  was  sent  to  Hon.  James 
F.  Breen,  who  wrote  in  reply:  'The  relics,  piece  of  china-ware  and 
gun-flint,  are  highly  appreciated.  The  china-ware  was  at  once  recognized 
by  my  brother.  In  fact,  there  is  one  piece  of  the  china  set  (a  cream 
pitcher)  still  in  the  possession  of  my  brother.  The  piece  sent  is 
recognizable  by  the  decoration  figures,  which  correspond  exactly  with 
those  on  the  pitcher.'  " 

One  more  quotation  is  made  from  the  History,  page  260 : 
"A  whetstone,  or  what  might  more  properly  be  called  an  oilstone, 
was  discovered  at  the  Breen  Cabin.  On  this  stone  were  the  initials 
'J.  F.  R.,'  which  had  evidently  been  cut  into  its  surface  with  a  knife 
blade.  Mrs.  V.  E.  Murphy  and  Mrs.  Frank  Lewis,  the  daughters  of 
James  F.  Reed,  at  once  remembered  this  whetstone  as  having  belonged 
to  their  father,  and  duly  identified  it  upon  examination." 

Year  after  year  I  have  pointed  out  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin  to 
visitors,  pioneers  and  members  of  the  Donner  Party,  and  feel  absolutely 
positive  that  I  know  the  site.  Since  1879  the  site  was  marked  by  the 
stump,  the  excavated  floor,  and  by  the  fireplace,  for  I  did  not  dig  up  the 
fireplace  in  searching  for  relics.  The  ashes  were  sifted,  but  the  burned 
earth  and  foundation  of  the  fireplace  stood  undisturbed,  and  formed  a 
blackened  landmark  liberally  covered  and  surrounded  by  bits  of  broken, 
charred  remnants  of  charcoal,  by  which  I  mean  the  small  black  coals  left 
from  a  wood  fire.  The  excavated  space  showed  the  size  of  the  cabin, 
and  with  the  stump  and  fireplace  as  markers  anyone  could  find  the 
site  of  the  Breen  Cabin  from  1879  until  1910. 

As  early  as  1880  I  began  talking  up  and  advocating  in  the  public 
press  the  desirability  of  permanently  marking  the  sites  of  the  cabins 
and  the  erection  of  a  monument  on  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin.  There 
was  never  any  question  as  to  this  being  the  one  spot  where  a  monument 
should  be  placed.  The  ground  is  level,  high,  sightly,  and  near  the  road 
which  crosses  the  mountains.  Its  location  made  it  the  central,  most 
important  of  the  Donner  Cabins  during  the  days  of  the  Donner  tragedy; 
the  place  where  the  imprisoned  emigrants  met  to  discuss  plans  of  escape. 
Here  the  "Forlorn  Hope"  was  planned,  and  from  this  spot  they  began 
their  heart-rending  struggle.  Here  came  the  Relief  Parties,  here  they 
started  back  over  the  cruel  mountains  after  the  agonizing  task  of  select- 
ing what  survivors  should  accompany  each  expedition  and  who  should  be 
left  behind,  perhaps  to  perish.  It  was  the  final  parting  place  of  loved 
ones;  it  was  where  Tamsen  Donner  bade  her  last  farewell  to  her  three 

6 


little  daughters  and  fled  back  to  her  dying  husband  and  to  her  own 
death. 

Planning  for  long  years  to  see  that  a  monument  should  be  erected 
on  this  identical  spot,  guarding  the  place  sacredly,  visiting  it  often 
each  year  for  thirty  years,  can  anyone  doubt  my  claim  that  I  know  the 
site  of  the  Breen  Cabin? 

Early  in  the  eighties  Joseph  Marzen,  who  owned  the  ground,  prom- 
ised to  donate  the  acre  of  land  surrounding  the  Breen  Cabin  for  the 
purpose  of  erecting  a  monument  to  the  Donner  Party.  When  he  was 
about  to  sell  the  land  he  asked  me  to  select  the  particular  acre  I  desired. 
With  great  care  I  measured  off  an  acre  with  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin 
as  nearly  as  practicable  in  its  center.  No  thought  was  in  my  mind 
except  to  choose  the  most  suitable  surrounding  for  the  erection  of  a 
monument  on  the  exact  spot  where  the  Breen  Cabin  stood.  /  chose 
the  ground  with  the  sole  thought  that  the  Breen  Cabin  floor  was  to 
be  underneath  the  base  of  a  monument  to  the  Donner  Party,  a 
monument  which  I  supposed  it  would  devolve  upon  me  to  build. 

Joseph  Marzen  and  a  number  of  prominent  citizens  coincided  with 
my  selection  of  the  best  acre  possible  to  surround  a  monument  built  upon 
the  ground  occupied  by  the  Breen  Cabin,  and  on  the  21st  day  of  July, 
1894,  Mr.  Marzen  deeded  to  me  the  following  described  land: 

"One  square  acre  of  land  surrounding  the  site  of  the  'Breen  Cabin* 
of  the  Donner  Party,  situate  in  the  Donner  Meadows,  Nevada  County, 
California,  near  the,  and  south  of  the  Dutch  Flat  and  Donner  Lake 
wagon  road  in  Section  Seventeen  (17)  North,  Range  Sixteen  (16) 
East,  M.  D.  B.  &  M. ;  the  Eastern  side  of  said  square  acre  (208  feet  8% 
inches)  having  this  day  been  designated  by  stone  monuments  erected 
by  the  parties  hereto.  Said  acre  of  land  having  been  expressly  deeded 
for  the  purpose  of  a  site  for  a  monument  to  the  Donner  Party,  and  for 
such  fences,  buildings  and  improvements  as  may  be  deemed  desirable 
in  maintaining  the  same.  Together  with  the  right  to  conduct  water 
from  the  adjacent  hillside  to  said  land,  and  full  access  to  and  from 
said  land  to  said  wagon  road." 

Among  the  plans  devised  by  me  for  raising  money  with  which  to 
build  a  monument  to  the  Donner  Party  on  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin, 
one  seems  pertinent: 

On  the  12th  day  of  August,  1893,  accompanied  by  Prof.  A.  E.  Baugh, 
principal  of  the  Truckee  Schools;  Hattie  A.  Baugh,  his  wife;  E.  K. 
Downer,  publisher  and  proprietor  of  the  Downieville  Messenger,  and  my 
wife,  Mrs.  Nona  McGlashan,  I  took  up  the  last  remaining  log  of  the 
Murphy  Cabin  and  conveyed  it  to  my  residence.  Six  logs  of  this  cabin 

7 


were  in  place  in  1879,  but  all  had  decayed  and  vanished  except  the  log 
on  the  western  side  of  the  cabin,  the  one  containing  the  threshold  of 
the  door.  With  the  assistance  of  the  ladies  of  Truckee,  five  thousand 
small  vials  were  filled  with  the  partially  decayed  wood  of  this  log,  and 
these,  together  with  the  remnant  of  the  log,  were  placed  in  the  Rocking 
Stone  Tower.  The  vials  containing  the  relics  were  sealed  with  wax  and 
bore  labels,  one  of  which  read: 

"No Price  $1.00.     Sent  by  mail  prepaid. 

"I  hereby  pledge  that  the  net  receipts  from  the 
sale  of  5000  of  these  relics  shall  be  devoted  to  the 
erection  of  a  monument  to  the  Donner  Party. 

"C.    F.    McGLASHAN." 

In  writing  the  History  of  the  Donner  Party,  I  visited,  so  far  as 
possible,  the  twenty-six  members  of  the  party  then  surviving,  and  brought 
members  of  the  party  and  of  the  relief  parties  to  Truckee,  as  heretofore 
stated,  to  give  accurate  identifications  of  the  locations  of  the  cabins.  I 
had  another  motive,  and  that  was  to  have  them  give  the  narration  of  the 
incidents  of  the  tragedy  on  the  very  ground  where  it  had  occurred.  All 
went  to  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin  to  explain  important  details  of  their 
narratives.  Everyone  identified  it. 

During  the  writing  of  the  History  the  various  chapters  were  first 
published  in  the  Truckee  Republican,  and  the  paper  was  regularly  sent 
to  each  survivor  for  corrections.  A  first  edition  of  the  book  was  then 
issued  and  sent  to  each  survivor  with  an  earnest  request  for  corrections. 
A  year  was  then  spent  in  writing  the  twice  revised  history.  Meantime, 
members  of  the  Party  who  were  taking  an  especially  active  interest  in 
assisting  in  having  the  story  correct,  came  to  Truckee  and  added  their 
testimony  to  the  location  of  the  cabins.  During  subsequent  years  other 
survivors  came.  There  was  never  the  slightest  difference  of  opinion  as 
to  where  the  Breen  Cabin  stood. 

When  Dr.  Chapman  came  to  me  first,  some  years  ago,  it  was  as 
Chairman  of  the  Donner  Monument  Committee  of  the  Grand  Parlor 
of  the  Native  Sons  of  the  Golden  West,  and  his  avowed  purpose  was 
to  erect  a  monument  to  the  Donner  Party,  under  the  auspices  and 
with  the  assistance  and  co-operation  of  the  Native  Sons.  My  delight 
can  readily  be  imagined.  I  was  to  be  relieved  of  a  great  responsi- 
bility. I  gave  him  the  heartiest  welcome,  and  cordially  pledged  him 
every  assistance  in  my  power.  I  explained  each  detail  of  my  long- 
cherished  plans,  and  was  pleased  and  proud  to  have  his  approval. 
He  agreed  with  me  that  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin  was  the  appro- 
priate and  only  place  for  the  monument,  and  I  promised  to  deed  to 
the  Grand  Parlor  the  acre  of  land  Mr.  Marzen  had  given  me  sur- 

8 


rounding  the  cabin.  I  promised  to  give  him  the  5000  vials  to  help 
raise  funds.  Nothing  was  ever  said  in  those  old,  first  days  of  a  monu- 
ment to  the  Pioneers;  all  our  talks  and  plans  were  of  a  monument  to 
the  Donner  Party. 

In  1909  Dr.  Chapman  was  ready  to  break  ground  for  the  Donner 
Monument  and  very  generously  insisted  that  I  was  the  proper  person 
to  turn  the  first  spadeful  of  earth  which,  he  said,  must  be  turned  in 
the  very  center  of  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin,  as  that  was  to  be  the 
site  of  the  monument.  Due  solemnity  was  observed,  and  among  the 
witnesses  and  participants  were  Hon.  Frank  M.  Rutherford  and  Dr. 
George  F.  Kelly,  representing  Donner  Parlor  No.  162  of  Truckee. 

When  called  upon  by  Dr.  Chapman  to  speak,  I  dwelt  upon  the 
appropriateness  of  erecting  a  Donner  Monument  over  the  precise 
location  of  the  Breen  Cabin.  Dr.  Chapman  on  that  occasion,  and  more 
than  once  since,  very  kindly  and  cordially  praised  my  remarks.  I  uttered 
only  the  views  we  had  often  discussed  together,  and  upon  which  we  were 
at  that  time  in  perfect  accord.  I  stood  in  the  exact  center  of  the  Breen 
Cabin  and  turned  the  first  spadeful  of  earth.  Ground  was  broken  for  a 
Donner  Monument.  The  corner-stone  was  to  be  laid  the  following  June 
by  the  Grand  Parlor. 

When  the  workmen  came  to  construct  the  foundation  upon  which 
the  monument  would  rest,  and  upon  which  the  corner-stone  was  to  be 
laid,  they  excavated  the  earth  to  a  considerable  depth  and  erected  on 
the  firm  foundation  thus  obtained  a  most  substantial  and  imposing  cement 
base  for  monument  and  corner-stone.  Its  dimensions  and  stability  were 
in  keeping  with  the  splendid  monument  now  standing  upon  it,  being 
twenty  by  twenty  feet,  and  raising  four  feet  above  the  surface  of  the 
ground.  I  was  present  on  different  occasions  to  watch  the  progress  of 
the  work  which  meant  so  much  to  me,  because  of  the  years  of  waiting. 
At  last  a  wonderful  monument  was  to  be  reared  on  the  site  of  the  Breen 
Cabin.  This  cabin  covered  only  twelve  by  fourteen  feet,  as  is  stated 
by  Moses  Schallenberger,  on  page  61  of  the  history.  The  workmen 
removed  all  traces  of  the  floor,  the  fireplace  and  even  the  stump.  Their 
excavations  were  far  deeper  and  broader  than  I  had  anticipated;  yes, 
and  the  cement  work  was  far  higher  and  presented  a  more  massive  appear- 
ance. I  saw  and  know  that  the  cement  foundation  covered  and  obliter- 
ated the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin.  Upon  the  several  occasions  when  I  was 
present  watching  the  progress  of  the  workmen,  I  do  not  recall  that  at 
any  stage  of  this  work  was  Dr.  Chapman  present.  I  was  afterwards 
informed  by  him  that  he  was  unavoidably  absent  and  had  to  trust  the 
work  to  the  workmen. 


/  am  ready  to  testify  under  oath,  at  any  time  or  place,  that  I 
know  of  my  own  knowledge  that  the  foundation  constructed  for  the 
corner-stone  covers  the  exact  spot  where  the  Breen  Cabin  stood.  The 

foundation  of  the  monument  today  is  over  twenty-three  feet  square,  the 
outside  finish  or  ornamental  work  being  outside  of  and  completely 
enveloping  the  cement  foundation,  and  the  cement  foundation  covers  and 
overlaps  the  floor  of  the  Breen  Cabin. 

On  the  tenth  day  of  June,  1910,  the  Grand  Parlor  laid  the  corner- 
stone with  impressive  ceremonies.  Three  of  the  survivors  of  the  Donner 
Party  were  present  at  the  invitation  of  Dr.  Chapman.  Patty  Reed  and 
others  donated  articles  to  be  placed  under  the  corner-stone.  At  Dr. 
Chapman's  request  I  gave  a  bound  copy  of  the  Donner  History.  Dr. 
Chapman  auctioned  off  some  of  the  5000  vials  which  I  had  given  him, 
one  bringing  $30,  another  $27.50,  others  bringing  good  prices.  Finally 
quite  a  number  were  disposed  of  at  $1.00  each.  In  the  few  words 
spoken  by  me  on  this  occasion,  I  stated  that  the  foundation  of  the  corner- 
stone covered  the  exact  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin.  Dr.  Chapman  heard 
every  word  I  said.  I  was  the  historian  of  the  Donner  Party  uttering 
facts  connected  with  the  history.  This  fact  was  fresh  in  my  memory, 
fresh  in  the  memory  of  many  who  were  present  and  heard  my  positive, 
public  statement.  The  Grand  Parlor  were  present.  I  think  that  you, 
Congressman  Knowland,  had  come  from  Washington  to  preside  over  that 
very  meeting  and  help  to  celebrate  the  event.  The  Landmarks  Com- 
mittee were  present  and  could  not  fail  to  understand  that  I  would  not 
make  such  an  assertion  unless  I  knew  its  truth.  It  was  truth  and  my 
statement  was  not  questioned.  Because  the  vials  were  sold  above  the 
site  of  the  Breen  Cabin  was  mentioned  as  one  reason  the  survivors  of 
the  Donner  Party  who  were  present  should  autograph  the  labels  on  the 
vials  sold,  and  thus  give  them  a  greater  value  at  the  sale.  The  barbecue 
was  held  in  the  tamarack  grove  surrounding  the  Murphy  Cabin.  It 
was  quite  a  Donner  Party  day. 

On  September  1st,  1910,  I  signed  a  deed  to  the  Grand  Parlor  of 
Native  Sons  of  the  Golden  West  for  "acre  of  land  surrounding  the  site 
of  the  'Breen  Cabin'  of  the  Donner  Party,"  thus  fulfilling  the  promise  I 
had  made  to  Dr.  Chapman. 

In  1918  the  Grand  Parlor  held  its  annual  session  in  Truckee  on  the 
6th  day  of  June,  and  the  monument  was  unveiled  and  dedicated  in  the 
presence  of  a  vast  assemblage  of  people.  Dr.  Chapman  presided  and 
honored  me  by  placing  my  name  on  the  list  of  speakers.  I  stated  dis- 
tinctly and  emphatically,  just  as  I  had  done  at  the  laying  of  the 
corner-stone,  that  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin  was  exactly  and  com- 

10 


pletely  covered  by  the  cement  foundation  of  the  monument.  Thus,  twice, 
on  public  and  momentous  occasions  I  placed  myself  clearly  on  record 
by  stating  that  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin  is  marked  by  the  monument 
itself,  is  directly  under  the  monument.  Both  times  Dr.  Chapman  stood 
close  to  me  and  heard  every  syllable  I  uttered;  both  times  the  officers 
and  members  of  the  Grand  Parlor  were  present;  both  times  hundreds  of 
witnesses  were  present;  both  times  members  of  the  Donner  Party  and 
many  descendants  of  members  were  present ;  and  both  times  I  dwelt  upon 
and  elaborated  the  importance  of  the  fact  in  showing  the  relation  of 
the  monument  to  the  Donner  Party.  I  stated  the  simple  truth,  and 
never  in  my  presence,  either  in  public  or  private,  did  Dr.  Chapman  or 
anyone  else  every  deny  or  question  this  truth  until  the  28th  day  of 
May,  1920,  when  Dr.  Chapman  stated  that  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin 
was  thirty  feet  from  the  base  of  the  monument.  I  replied  to  this  astound- 
ing assertion,  as  stated  at  the  commencement  of  this  letter,  "If  any  man 
on  earth  knows  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin,  I  do,  and  I  am  ready  to 
take  an  oath  that  it  is  covered  by  the  foundation  of  the  monument." 

The  conversation  thus  abruptly  terminated  was  resumed  in  my  office 
on  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  Hon.  Joe  V.  Snyder  again  being  present. 
Dr.  Chapman  again  declared  that  the  site  was  30  feet  from  the  base 
of  the  monument.  I  told  him  that  he  could  easily  prove  his  contention 
if  he  was  right.  That  the  hearth  or  foundation  of  the  fireplace  of  the 
Breen  Cabin,  if  he  could  locate  it,  would  be  found  intact.  I  have  always 
honored  and  revered  Dr.  Chapman  and  felt  sure  I  could  convince  him 
of  his  error.  I  knew  he  could  not  find  the  fireplace  of  the  Breen  Cabin 
because  it  was  under  the  monument.  It  was  agreed  that  we  should  test 
the  matter  next  day  by  digging  at  the  spot  Dr.  Chapman  claimed  the 
cabin  stood. 

Arriving  first  upon  the  ground,  I  pencilled  the  following  in  duplicate : 
"Memorandum : 

"Donner  Monument,  May  29,  1920. 

"Dr.  C.  W.  Chapman  and  C.  F.  McGlashan 
are,  and  for  many  years  have  been,  staunch 
friends. 

"Yesterday,  May  28,  1920,  Dr.  Chapman  first 
told  McGlashan  that  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin 
is  thirty  (30)  feet  from  the  foundation  of  the 
Monument. 

"McGlashan  is  positive  the  base  of  the  Monu- 
men  is  directly  over  the  site  of  the  Breen  Cabin. 

"By  amicable  agreement  they  will  today 
excavate  the  site  pointed  out  by  Dr.  Chapman  to 

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ascertain  if  evidence  can  be  found  to  support  Dr. 
Chapman's  contention. 

"C.    F.    McGLASHAN." 

"Signed  in  duplicate 
in   the    presence    of" 

When  Dr.  Chapman  arrived  he  was  accompanied  by  T.  C.  Wohl- 
bruck  in  an  automobile  driven  by  John  Cabona.  It  was  near  11  o'clock 
a.  m.,  and  I  had  walked  out  from  Truckee,  arriving  at  6  o'clock  a.  m. 
I  had  written  the  memorandum  on  a  little  tablet  I  had  found  in  my 
pocket. 

Dr.  Chapman  seemed  greatly  excited  and  said:  "We  have  looked  all 
over  town  for  you."  He  went  at  once  to  a  spot  some  fifty  feet  or  more 
from  the  monument,  and  striking  a  shovel  in  the  earth  said :  "This  depres- 
sion in  the  earth  is  the  spot."  There  was  an  irregular  depression  in  the 
surface  of  the  ground  of  from  two  to  six  inches. 

I  said  I  thought  we  should  sign  a  memorandum  of  what  we  were  about 
to  do,  and  read  what  I  had  written  and  asked  him  to  sign.  I  had 
already  signed.  He  said:  "Yes,  I  will  sign  that,  but  it  should  be 
changed  to  read  the  spot  is  the  one  pointed  out  by  you  to  me."  I  asked 
him  when  I  pointed  it  out,  and  he  said  in  1909.  He  said  the  only  knowl- 
edge he  had  of  the  spot  was  that  I  had  told  him  so.  I  asked  how  he 
could  identify  a  spot  pointed  out  by  me  eleven  years  ago,  and  he 
answered:  "It  was  burned  into  my  memory."  I  said  I  would  change 
the  wording  to  read  as  he  wished,  and  started  to  do  so.  The  two  mem- 
orandums are  inclosed  and  marked  "Exhibit  A"  and  "Exhibit  B."  It 
will  be  seen  that  in  "Exhibit  B"  I  had  interlined  the  words:  "It  is 
agreed  that  the  site  was  first  shown  by  McGlashan."  But  while  I  was 
writing  Dr.  Chapman  was  digging  in  the  place  where  he  said  I  pointed 
out  the  fireplace  in  1909.  The  first  few  shovelfuls  uncovered  small  bits 
of  charcoal  which  Dr.  Chapman  picked  up  exultingly  exclaiming:  "That 
shows  there  has  been  a  fire."  I  stopped  writing  and  said  we  could  sign 
afterwards.  Dr.  Chapman  agreed  to  this,  and  I  began  taking  the  bits  of 
charcoal  and  other  things  discovered  and  placing  them  upon  a  silk 
handkerchief  which  I  took  from  my  pocket. 

Within  about  two  feet  of  the  place  where  he  first  struck  his  shovel 
in  the  earth,  at  a  depth  of  from  eight  to  ten  inches,  Dr.  Chapman  and 
Mr.  Wohlbruck  uncovered  the  upper  surface  of  four  closely  packed 
stones,  carefuly  matched  stones,  fairly  flat  and  level,  showing  evidence  of 
having  been  burned  and  blackened  to  some  extent  by  fire.  There  was 
a  score  of  smaller  stones,  about  a  dozen  pebbles  and  a  small  handful 
of  little  pieces  of  charcoal,  or  charred  coals,  and  several  bits  of  rotten 
wood.  All  these  we  carefully  examined,  and  I  placed  them  in  the 

12 


handkerchief.  It  was  clear  there  had  been  a  fire  at  that  place.  Dr. 
Chapman  was  positive  that  he  had  discovered  the  hearth  of  the  Breen 
Cabin.  While  I  knew  this  was  not  true,  I  realized  that  Dr.  Chapman 
and  Mr.  Wohlbruck  were  thoroughly  convinced,  and  that  no  argument 
could  undeceive  them.  I  had  challenged  the  Doctor  to  find  the  Breen 
fireplace  and  he  had  promptly  accepted  the  challenge,  and  without  any 
doubt,  hesitation  or  difficulty,  had  located  a  place  where  a  fire  had  been 
built.  The  stones  indicated  to  me  a  camp  fire,  but  nothing  resembling  a 
hearth  to  a  fireplace. 

Subsequent  measurements  show  that  the  larger  stone  was  approxi- 
mately 25  x  15  x  4>y%  inches,  another  was  9x8x4  inches,  another  9x7x5 
inches,  and  another  12  x  8  x  4%  inches.  There  were  twenty  small  stones 
ranging  from  two  inches  to  five  in  their  greatest  diameters.  All  are 
irregularly  shaped  and  the  dimensions  are  approximations.  I  have  in  my 
possession  all  the  stones,  pebbles,  bits  of  charcoal  and  little  pieces  of 
wood,  in  fact,  every  single  particle  of  evidence  unearthed.  A  careful 
inspection  of  these  will  convince  any  expert  woodsman  or  mountaineer 
that  they  did  not  form  the  hearth  to  a  fireplace  built  and  used  by  the 
Schallenberger  party  in  1844,  used  by  Schallenberger  during  that  winter, 
and  used  by  the  Breens,  Reeds  and  Keseberg  during  the  winter  of  1846-7. 
There  are  not  enough  stones,  and  the  stones  are  not  black  enough.  There 
are  not  enough  coals,  for  coals  do  not  readily  disintegrate.  The  stones 
would  make  a  very  comfortable  camp  fire. 

Three  stones  of  unknown  size  were  partly  uncovered  which  were  in 
line  with  each  other,  and  which  Dr.  Chapman  and  Mr.  Wohlbruck  felt 
sure  formed  the  foundation  of  the  side  wall  of  the  cabin  on  the  north 
side.  They  were  at  a  suitable  distance  from  the  fire,  but  were  so  large 
and  so  firmly  imbedded  in  the  earth  that  we  could  not,  or  at  least  did  not, 
remove  them.  I  mention  these  because  we  found  them,  but  knew  that 
no  such  stones  were  under  the  imprint  of  the  north  foundation  log  of 
the  Breen  cabin  when  I  excavated  the  floor  in  1879. 

I  have  spoken  of  four  rather  large  flat  stones,  though  we  all  sup- 
posed there  were  five.  Wedged  tightly  between  the  straight  edges  of 
two  of  the  stones  was  a  strangely  flat,  smooth  stone  whose  upper  surface 
was  quite  regular,  and  which  appeared  exactly  square  with  regular 
rectangular  outlines.  I  asked  that  this  stone  be  removed.  John  Cabona 
pointed  to  it  and  excitedly  exclaimed,  "That  is  brick."  Upon  examina- 
tion we  found  it  comprised  two  bricks  firmly  wedged  together  by  heat. 
They  were  modern,  hand-pressed  bricks,  and  had  evidently  occupied  a 
place  in  the  kiln  where  the  fire  came  in  direct  contact  with  them  during 
the  burning. 

13 


There  was  a  brick  kiln  and  brickyard  just  west  of  Truckee,  and  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  east  from  the  Monument  in  the  years  from  1868  to  1873. 
Sisson,  Wallace  &  Co.  erected  a  brick  building  in  Truckee  during  the 
days  when  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  was  being  constructed;  and  many 
chimneys  and  other  buildings  were  built  with  these  bricks.  Old  discarded 
brick  from  this  yard,  particularly  the  badly  burned  bricks,  which  were  in 
contact  with  the  fires  of  the  kilns,  were  often  used  by  fishermen  and 
others  in  their  camp  fires.  It  must  be  remembered,  too,  that  just  across 
the  road  from  the  present  site  of  the  Monument,  during  those  days 
of  railroad  building,  there  were  several  dwellings  and  a  store,  and  on 
Donner  Creek  about  a  hundred  yards  west  of  the  site  of  the  Murphy 
Cabin  was  a  saw  mill  owned  and  operated  by  Towle  Brothers.  Bricks 
were  to  be  found  in  abundance  in  the  ruins  of  these  old  buildings  in 
those  early  pioneer  days  following  the  completion  of  the  road  when  I 
first  came  to  Truckee. 

While  Dr.  Chapman  and  I  were  still  examining  and  talking  about 
the  two  bricks,  the  hour  of  noon  arrived,  and  Surveyor  E.  C.  Uren  and  the 
two  sons  of  Dr.  Chapman  arrived  on  the  scene.  Upon  seeing  the  bricks, 
one  of  the  Chapman  brothers  said:  "There  are  other  bricks  like  these 
around  here,"  and  not  twenty  feet  from  where  we  were  working  he 
picked  up  from  the  surface  of  the  ground  two  of  the  very  same  kind 
of  bricks,  similarly  welded  together  by  heat.  Going  to  an  old  camp  fire 
about  fifty  yards  away  he  brought  back  five  other  bricks  of  the  same 
peculiar  burnt  appearance,  and  two  of  these  were  welded  together  by 
heat.  We  had  now  nine  bricks  of  identical  appearance,  two  of  which 
formed  an  integral  part  of  the  fireplace  which  Dr.  Chapman  had 
been  so  sure  was  the  Breen-Schallenberger  fireplace  of  1844-1847. 

I  omitted  to  mention  that  Dr.  Chapman's  fireplace  was  pointed  out 
to  Surveyor  Uren  and  he  carefully  measured  with  a  steel  tape  line  its 
distance  from  the  south  base  of  the  Monument.  It  was  not  thirty  feet, 
but  fifty-two  feet,  from  the  base  of  the  Monument. 

Yours  very  respectfully, 

C.  F.  MCGLASHAN. 


14 


